BitMail

BitMail provides you with a strong and secure peer-to-peer email application that allows encrypted communication between users, without relying on a central server. Based on the Echo protocol, it offers fully decentralized communication possibilities and features additional security tools designed to prevent your messages from begin intercepted.

As far as the usage is concerned, although the interface is well-organized, it does take a while to get accustomed with the application and understand how everything works. However, once you manage to configure it properly, sending messages is just a matter of a few clicks.

In order to work, the application requires you to protect your mailbox using a strong passphrase. It is advisable that you define the security features before proceeding to sending messages throughout the network.

One of the participants must create a BitMail server and add the IP addresses that wants to connect to in the inclusion list. Once the server is up and running, any other user can initiate a connection, which allows message sending.

Each participant must add their interlocutors in the address book, which can either be another BitMail user or the owner of any IMAP account. For BitMail users, it is quite a delicate procedure, since the security keys (key and repleo) must be exchanged via a third party communication means (IM clients, email etc.).

A received message cannot be read unless the sender provides you with the ‘GoldBug’ key, which is automatically generated by the program.

BitMail is not easy to configure, but it is capable of applying additional security layers to your messages, preventing data retention and keeping messages away from prying eyes.

Going through all the configuration steps requires basic networking know-how, but with a bit of patience, even beginners can get the hang of it. Not to mention that it might be worth it if you need a secure and encrypted method of sending confidential messages.